Honda CRZ and Insight to be discontinued in Europe

Uriel

Uriel

Uriel

Soldato
Joined
15 Jan 2006
Posts
7,814
Location
Derbyshire
http://m.green.autoblog.com/2014/02/21/honda-ending-cr-z-insight-sales-in-europe/

I own a G2 Insight and like it but I really can't see how it can continue to sell when Honda's own 1.6 diesel civic gets 15mpg better and is both faster and more practical for the same price.

I wonder if this will be the death knell for hybrid only cars in Europe? The Jazz hybrid has been outselling both the Insight and CRZ. Likewise, the Auris and Yaris hybrids have been outselling the Prius. To me, hybrids make far more sense as an engine option than a standalone car model. I note that we got a Yaris hybrid, rather than a Prius C here.
 
Last edited:
Well if they make more sense to you as a variant of a normal car and you're one who bought a 'specific' hybrid then there is an element of truth to it!
 
Nath was talking about this the other week.

Suppose it makes his CRZ rarer?

Shame as I have enjoyed driving it on the occasions I have had a go in it.
 
I bought it used. The Insight has a list price in line with the Civic diesel and then immediately seems to plummet in value in line with the Civic petrol models. As such, I regard them as a terrible new buy but a great used one.

I'd just come from a short lived, problematic used diesel and wanted to keep the fuel economy but not dpf, dmf, turbo complicated injectors and all the potential other bill generators I associated with a modern diesel.

I'd have rather had a manual car but found the paddle shifters to be an acceptable compromise.

Ultimately, it was the right price at the right time and looking at other used values, I basically managed to negotiate a price that put me a year ahead of the depreciation curve.
 
The Insight has always been a little bit of an odd choice of car and was never going to be a huge seller. The CRZ is a shame however as it was certainly a unique car and certainly looked great - a great choice for someone who wants something economic, a little different and not too interested in massive performance but wants something 'sporty'.

I've driven both a Prius and an Auris hybrid and the Prius is a far nicer car overall, less noisy, far larger and a better 'package' - that said the Auris is a fair bit cheaper, both new and used. I wouldn't mind a Prius but not sure I could get over the 'image' problem it has. Would rather it than a diesel however!
 
This happened some time ago, the Accord is 50/50 odds to be discontinued too, basically all Japan made models, only Swindon motors left and HUK only push to sell those models so they can justify keeping the factory open, and Honda have not made any profits in Europe for good few years now.

The CRZ was a massive waste, they should have done a proper performance version rather than some hybrid nonsense which didn't have any sort of attraction in that market.
 
lemonade said:
The CRZ was a massive waste, they should have done a proper performance version rather than some hybrid nonsense which didn't have any sort of attraction in that market.
Click to expand...

No attraction at all m8.

In seriousness. The CRZ is a weird one.

Not fast enough to be classed as a hot hatch.

Yet not economical enough either.

This is partly down to the fact it is not a "true hybrid" e.g. prius, where they can drive on electric alone, have multi gear CVT boxes etc.

Where as the CRZ makes do with manual and stop/start.

The hybrid system in the CRZ is best viewed as an electrical supercharger, additional power and torques instantly but with no hit to economy.

If you take that view point, then it is a success however the word "hybrd" combined with Hondas lofty 64MPG extra urban claims, give people the wrong impression that they can drive a sporty, good looking 60+mpg petrol vehicle, which is false.

I bought mine for it's uniqueness, looks, good spec, driving dynamics and oh yeah, not a diesel.

Couldn't give one about the economy but it's a bonus that is cheap to run.

Ultimately the CRZ is short on HP and sportier suspension to make it a Type R beater. Honda had the chassis down well so in some ways it is a missed opportunity is that respect.
 
I'm kind of gutted that it may mean the end of manual transmission hybrids. The new Accord hybrid doesn't even have a transmission in the usual sense.

If they produced a Civic Tourer with manual transmission and improved IMA, I'd be very interested (growing family means that whatever my next car is, it will be bigger than the Insight). Hitting 74 mpg combined or whatever was probably a non starter for IMA though, so I think it's really the 1.6 diesel that's put the nails in IMA's coffin.
 
Last edited:
NathWraith said:
No attraction at all m8.

In seriousness. The CRZ is a weird one.

Not fast enough to be classed as a hot hatch.

Yet not economical enough either.

This is partly down to the fact it is not a "true hybrid" e.g. prius, where they can drive on electric alone, have multi gear CVT boxes etc.

Where as the CRZ makes do with manual and stop/start.

The hybrid system in the CRZ is best viewed as an electrical supercharger, additional power and torques instantly but with no hit to economy.

If you take that view point, then it is a success however the word "hybrd" combined with Hondas lofty 64MPG extra urban claims, give people the wrong impression that they can drive a sporty, good looking 60+mpg petrol vehicle, which is false.

I bought mine for it's uniqueness, looks, good spec, driving dynamics and oh yeah, not a diesel.

Couldn't give one about the economy but it's a bonus that is cheap to run.

Ultimately the CRZ is short on HP and sportier suspension to make it a Type R beater. Honda had the chassis down well so in some ways it is a missed opportunity is that respect.
Click to expand...

NathWraith said:
No attraction at all m8.

In seriousness. The CRZ is a weird one.

Not fast enough to be classed as a hot hatch.

Yet not economical enough either.

This is partly down to the fact it is not a "true hybrid" e.g. prius, where they can drive on electric alone, have multi gear CVT boxes etc.

Where as the CRZ makes do with manual and stop/start.

The hybrid system in the CRZ is best viewed as an electrical supercharger, additional power and torques instantly but with no hit to economy.

If you take that view point, then it is a success however the word "hybrd" combined with Hondas lofty 64MPG extra urban claims, give people the wrong impression that they can drive a sporty, good looking 60+mpg petrol vehicle, which is false.

I bought mine for it's uniqueness, looks, good spec, driving dynamics and oh yeah, not a diesel.

Couldn't give one about the economy but it's a bonus that is cheap to run.

Ultimately the CRZ is short on HP and sportier suspension to make it a Type R beater. Honda had the chassis down well so in some ways it is a missed opportunity is that respect.
Click to expand...

All they needed to do is keep the weight around >1100kg and add a 160-200hp engine and it would have been a cracker like the mk1 and mk2 CRX's.

It's another car that was released too ahead of its time, with the wrong packaging and marketing.

Funnily enough the upcoming 1.6 Turbo VTEC's would be perfect for it, but a little too late for that.
 
lemonade said:
All they needed to do is keep the weight around >1100kg and add a 160-200hp engine and it would have been a cracker like the mk1 and mk2 CRX's.

It's another car that was released too ahead of its time, with the wrong packaging and marketing.

Funnily enough the upcoming 1.6 Turbo VTEC's would be perfect for it, but a little too late for that.
Click to expand...

Standard kerb weight is 1150KG so not too far off. I think the newer 137PS 2013 CRZ would have plenty power however I haven't drove one.

I do think people get way ahead of the power argument in honest.

The CRZ to me has more in common with cars like the Swift Sport or what would be considered "warm hatches", I loathe using that term, but you get the idea.
 
the CRZ felt similar in power delivery to my old Fiesta ST150.

it only lacks the sportier damping, but I suppose that is the sort of compromise you commit to when purchasing a hybrid cafe racer.
 
NathWraith have You driven Gen 1 or Gen 2 CRX ??
MAn i had so big hopes for this car. I had Second test drive in notingham as i was considering it before i went DC2.

Drove with You around donnington and its awesome car just lacking around 100hp !!!

My mate used to have CRX VTi 172hp on dyno well that was proper drive. I wanted one for years when i eventually got some funds i went EG6 cause all CRXs ware eate by rust :/

I bet if you had a go in 2 gen VTi around donington you would LOVE that ****er :D never been in one with b18c swap and heard those are allllot of fun to drive :D

Legendary CRX Video:
 
I'm not surprised. Honda have a fantastic new hybrid system coming out soon in the Accord Hybrid. They will no doubt want to move this into cars in different sizes.
 
ye lose batteries and 1,8 would give more mpg than that hybrid not to mention speed ect.
 
Relentless81 said:
Have these engines even been confirmed for mass production yet, if so link to source please?

I have to agree with the CRZ, as a successor to the CRX its a massive disappointment
Click to expand...

Yes they will be eventually coming to your regular models in some form, the turbos are going to be designed by Honda engineers from what a Honda guy said, they should be out by around 2 years I believe, with the CTR getting the first of the bunch.

Press release here: http://newsroom.honda.co.uk/News/Honda-Announces-All-New-VTEC-TURBO-Engine-Series-ded.aspx
 
I remember test driving the CRZ when it came out, and it left me a bit cold. It drove well enough, but it seems like it was just too underpowered. It felt like it could handle a lot more power. It also would have given it a much larger appeal.. Although I suppose more power would have defeated the objectives Honda was trying to achieve with a hybrid..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom